Work Text:
[Friday night.]
Adrien was on one knee, tears in his eyes as he opened the ring box and presented the ring to Marinette. Marinette’s vision blurred as her own eyes swelled with tears. She could see Adrien’s hands shaking. “Marinette,” he said shakily, clearly overcome with emotion, “will you make me the luckiest cat in the world and marry me?”
She threw her hands around his shoulders squeezing him tight. Her face tucked into his neck as she nodded, “Yes, yes!” Marinette pulled back and planted a bruising kiss to his lips. She felt her happy tears cascade down her face and felt Adrien smile against her lips as he picked her up and twirled her around.
When they pulled back, giddy smiles on their faces, they each tenderly wiped each other’s tears. Adrien took her hand like he’d done many times and placed the ring on her finger. The blue sapphires and small diamonds twinkled in the light of the moon. Then he picked her up bridal-style as she giggled and Adrien laughed with her, clear and bright. It was the best night of her life and she knew there would be more to come.
[Monday, at sundown.]
Ladybug landed on the rooftop, sitting down beside Chat Noir who dangled his feet over the edge. She saw how tense he was, even if he tried to seem carefree and light hearted. As soon as she smiled reassuringly at him, his face crumpled and he pulled her into a bone-crushing hug.
“Never scare me like that again,” he whispered against her neck where his face was buried. He was shaking. “Please, Marinette. I can’t stand the thought of losing you.” His voice wavered as he choked back a sob.
That particular akuma had been more dangerous and destructive than usual. They all were, really. As they got older, Shadow Moth got more desperate. It was almost as though he was running out of time.
She’d gotten distracted by her lucky charm and got smacked against the chest. It knocked the wind out of her and she’d flown directly into the brick wall of a building. That’s all she remembered before blacking out.
When she came back to, she was detransformed in a hidden alley, blood running down the side of her face. Adrien was beside her, eyes blown wide with terror. She’d assured him she was fine and they’d dealt with akuma like usual.
Now, enveloped in his shaking embrace, she realized how shaken he’d been. “Hey, hey,” she murmured gently, pulling back enough to take his face in her hands, “I’m here, I’m ok, we’re ok — everything is fine, Adrien.” His glowing green eyes shone in the fading sunlight, filled with anxiety.
“Promise me.”
“What?”
“Promise me that everything will be fine.”
His eyes held hers steadily. “I promise,” she said.
Even then they knew that promise would be broken.
[Saturday.]
“Marinette,” Adrien whined, his head in her lap, “pay attention to meeee.”
Marinette giggled as she paused her sketching to scratch and massage Adrien’s head. “You’re such a cat.” It was true. The longer they’d been together and known who the other was, the more he behaved like a cat. Her cat. She smiled.
He stuck his tongue out at her playfully. “Whatcha gonna do about it?”
She tapped her chin in mock consideration and hummed inquisitively. “I’m not sure…”
“I have a suggestion,” Adrien said with a grin as he sat up.
“Yeah?” Marinette already knew where this was going.
“Yeah.”
Soft lips touched hers and she sighed happily, her fingers creeping into Adrien’s hair as he kissed her. Her new ring caught his hair when their kiss got more heated and Adrien yelped. “Sorry!” Marinette rushed to say. She wasn’t used to having a ring. She wasn’t even sure if she imagined the proposal from the night before.
Adrien just shook his head with a smile as he rubbed his head, “It’s fine. It’s just a reminder that last night wasn’t just a dream.” He paused, then smirked. “Future Mrs. Agreste.”
“How do you know you won’t be Mr. Dupain-Cheng?”
He blinked, probably thinking it over. “Honestly? I’d be honored to be Mr. Dupain-Cheng. Your parents are awesome!”
Marinette laughed. She couldn’t believe they were going to spend the rest of their lives together. It was really happening. She was the luckiest girl in the world.
[Sunday afternoon.]
A scream.
Hers or his? She couldn’t tell.
Ladybug couldn’t move. She was tied up by the akuma’s magical binds on top of the Montparnasse Tower. She couldn’t save him.
He was falling. He’d been slammed by the akuma and sent flying. He detransformed mid-air and at that moment dread filled her veins.
Her vision swam. “Adrien!” She cried, a blood curdling sob tearing through her throat. It didn’t matter that she’d revealed his identity. She needed to move. She needed to do something.
The magical binds disappeared. If it was suspicious, she didn’t care. She ran, throwing her yo-yo where he’d been falling, hoping — praying — she’d somehow catch him. That she’d save him.
The yo-yo hit the ground.
Ladybug reached the end of the building.
She looked down.
A scream.
This time she was sure it was hers.